Polysmart Packaging Limited has commissioned a $60 million recycling facility to process up to 15 million plastic bottles daily, in a major investment aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s plastic waste recovery and recycling capacity.
At full operational capacity, the plant is expected to process 100,000 tonnes of mixed plastics annually, equivalent to approximately 6.5 billion PET bottles. The recovered materials will be converted into food-grade recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET), which can be used in the production of new bottles.
Speaking at the official opening and commissioning of the facility, the Chief Executive Officer of Polysmart Packaging Limited, Wasiu Balogun, described the investment as a major milestone in the company’s development, tracing its growth from a modest operation established in 2013 into a significant player in Nigeria’s recycling industry.
Balogun recalled that the company began with an initial capital of N2 million, noting that its expansion into a $60 million industrial investment demonstrated its commitment to tackling plastic waste through large-scale recycling infrastructure.
He said the facility would make a significant contribution to reducing the volume of plastic waste entering the environment.
“When this facility is running at full capacity, it will take in 100,000 tonnes of mixed plastics every year. That is about 6.5 billion PET bottles,” he said.
“Think about that: about 15 million bottles a day that will no longer be buried, burned or washed into the Atlantic.”
According to him, the plant will subject collected plastics to sorting, washing and decontamination processes before converting them into food-grade recycled PET suitable for manufacturing new bottles.
He explained that the process would support the reuse of plastic materials while reducing dependence on virgin raw materials and the energy required to produce new plastics.
“Instead, they will be sorted, washed, decontaminated and transformed into food-grade recycled PET, clean enough to become a new bottle again. Every recycled bottle means less crude oil drawn from the ground and less energy burned to make new plastic,” Balogun added.
Also speaking at the event, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, called for stronger enforcement of environmental regulations and a coordinated national approach to waste management as part of efforts to address the growing challenge of plastic pollution.
The monarch commended Polysmart for investing in recycling infrastructure, describing the development as a contribution to environmental sustainability and industrial growth.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Polysmart Packaging Limited, Niyi Yusuf, said the $60 million investment demonstrated confidence in Nigeria’s industrial potential and the opportunities within its recycling sector.
Yusuf described the facility as Africa’s largest food-grade recycled PET plant, noting that its operations would strengthen Nigeria’s position in the recycling industry and create opportunities for the country to become a recycling hub for West Africa.
The commissioning marks a significant addition to Nigeria’s recycling infrastructure, with the facility expected to support the recovery and conversion of large volumes of plastic waste into reusable materials for the packaging industry.
